woolridge



(No Mod-e1.)

' 4 Sheets-Sheetl 1.

J. WOOLRIDGE.

GULTIVATOR.

'No'. 2955607-, Patented Mar. 25, 1884.

(No Model.) 4 ASheQtS-sheet-z.

. J. WOOLRIDGE.

` GULTIVATOR. Y l 1510.295607. Patendlvlr. 25,1884.

N. PEERS. Hummm. wadingmn: D. C.

(No Model.) I4 Sheets-smet 3.

J. WOOLRIDGB.

` l GULTIVATOR. N0. 295,607. l PatGDtSd'Mar. 25, 1884. ,771',g-3. 20 :c:

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN wooLEIDGE, on LIBERTYVILLE, ILLINOIS,

C u LTlvATo R'.

SPECIFICATION forming part qf Letters Patent No. 295,607, dated March 25, l&3%84.

Application filed December 12, 1883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN VOOLRIDGE, residing at Libertyville, in the county of Lake and State of Illinois, and a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gultivators, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to uthe accompanying drawings, in which#- Figure lis atop or plan view with thetongue `broken away 5 Fig; 2, a side elevation with a portion of the frame broken out and one of the wh eels removed, and the tongue also broken off; Fig. 3, a cross-section through the frame online x @c of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a cross-section through one of the beamsupports, Fig. 5, a detail in longitudinal section of one of the beam-supports; Fig. 6, atop o r plan view with the seat and wheels removed, showing the position of the beam carrying devices when swung or moved to have the shovels dodge uneven plants.

This invention relates to` riding straddlerow cultivat-ors, and has for its objects to iinprove the devices by which the plows or shova els are swung out of line for dodging uneven plants, to improve the means for raising the beams and regulating the depth of cultivation, and to improve generally the construction and operation of the machine 5 and its nature consists in providing jointed or pivotcd bars swinging laterally at the center for carrying the beams in or out, as required for the condition of the plants; in providing a bracing `and support for the pivoted bars, formed of a horizontal bar at the top, with vertical standards and diagonal bracing, as hereinafter more specifically described in providing a sliding standard, to the lower end of which the forward ends of the beams are connected, and having devices by which the standard can be raised or lowered to regulate the plowing depth; in providing a treadle operated by the foot for throwing the beams ont of operation, and in the 4several parts and co1n binations of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims as new.

In the drawings, A represents a circular rim, made `of wood or metal or partly of wood and partly of metal, as may be desired. l rIhis rim is of sufficient circumference for the crdinary width of cultivators, and forms the frame for supporting the tongue, seat, and other appliances.

B represents brackets, secured in any suitable manner to the rim or frame A, and having at their lower ends a suitable spindle forin any suitable and well-known manner, and v of suflicient diameter to carry the rim or frame A above the row of plants, so that the beams will straddle such rows. a

I) represents bars, pivoted at their front ends to the under face of the piece P or frame A by suitable pins or bolts, a, and in such manner as to bring the pivotal points on each sideV an equal distance from the center of the frame, fore and aft.

E represents bars, pivoted at their rear ends, as shown, to the under face of a cross` bar by suitable pins or bolts, c, which pins or bolts pass through slots d, formed in the rear ends of the bars, the object being to allow` lost motion in swingingffthe bars in and out. The bars D are each provided at their rear .ends with an enlarged portion, b, in which is a circular opening, and the bars E are each provided at their forward end with a corre1 sponding portion, e.

F is a horizontal bar or cross-piece, having at each end an enlarged portion, j', with a circular opening.

G represents diagonal braces, one running from each bar D downwardly and rearwardly, and terminating in an enlarged portion, g, with a `circular opening.

I-I represents diagonal braces, one running from each bar E downwardly and forward, and terminating in an enlarged portion, h, in which is a circular opening.

I represents diagonal braces running from the center of the bar F downwardly and on each side, and terminating in an enlarged portion, i, in which is a square or rectangular opening, j.

J represents posts or standards, one for each side of the machine, and each having a cenopening j in the head z'.

roo, trallongitudinal opening coinciding with the The posts orstandto regulate the Idepth of cultivation.

ards J and the braces I may be cast or otherwise formed in one piece, or the posts and braces may beV formed of independent pieces suitably secured together and to the cross-bar F, and when the parts are together the posts or standards are to be secured in the heads j' and z' at the top and bottom, so as to be iirm andsecure, and constitute, with the'cross-bar F and braces I, a rigid frame.

K represents shanks, one for each standard or post J, the shank passing up through the opening in the standard, and being somewhat longer than the length of the standard, so that its upper end will project above the top of the standard, while its lower end extends sufficiently below the bottom of the standard for the attachment of the plow-beam, and to allow of the required amount of vertical play The lower end of each shank K is provided with'a head or enlarged portion, 7c, having a rearwardly-extending tooth or projection, la.

L L are cam-levers, one for each shank K, and secured to the top of the shank by a suitable pin or pivot, Z. The acting portion L of each lever is formed of two plates, Z, having a curved bearing-edge, with a space between them for the passage of the upper end of the shank, and the bearing-edges are so arranged in relation to the top of the bar F as to bear thereon and form a fulcrum, by which, as the handle L is raised or lowered, the shank K will be raised and lowered, raising and lowering the forward ends of the plow-beam.

M represents heads or beam-plates, one for each shank or standard, and each having ears m, between which the head k is located, to which headI the beam-plate is secured by a suitable pin or bolt, n, passing through the ears m and the head 7c, so as to allow of free vertical movement of the beams, and the beams are held in a straight line by the opening j, which corresponds in shapevto the shape of shank, forming a lock against the turn-ing of the shank in the standard J.

M represents the plow-beams, formed as shown, orin any other suitable and well-known manner, and carrying at the ends shovels or plows, as usual. The forward end of the beam is secured to the head or plate M by suitable bolts, or otherwise.

N represents curved arms or levers, one located on the inside of each beam plate or head M, and secured in place by rivets, or in any other suitable manner, and the upper end of each arm or lever is branched, forming a foot-rest, N', on which the foot of the operator can be placed, and through the curved arm or lever raise the rear end of the plow-beams, throwing the plows up out of use.

O is a seat mounted on the cross-bar O', which bar is secured in any suitable manner to the rim or frame A at the rear end of the machine.

Pis atongue secured at its rear end to a crossbar, P located on and secured to the rim 'or ping of the beams at the rear end.

frame A at the frontdof the machine. The seat and tongue may be of the form shown, or of any-other suitable and well-known form, and they can be attached to the frame or rim A in some other manner than through the crossbars O P. rlhe spindle-brackets B are secured to the rim or frame by bolts or otherwise, and the bars D are pivotally secured at their front ends to the cross-bar P, or other support on the frame, while the bars E are pivotally secured at their rear ends to the cross-bar O,or other support on the frame, so as to bring the inner or free ends of the two bars in line, one over the other, and, as shown, when the inner ends are brought in line the end b of the bars D comes above the end e of the bar E, the end c being thrown down for this purpose, and the end 71, of the brace H for the bar E comes above the end f/ of the brace G for the bar D, so that the two bars form a support vertically one for the other. The ends b, e, g, and h are brought in line, so that the openings in each will coincide, and the posts or standards J, with the braces I thereon, are passed up through the openings in the heads b, e, g, and hon each side, bringing the end or headfi of each brace in contact with the end or head g, as shown in Fig. 2. The bar F is then vslipped onto the upper end of the posts and secured to the posts by riveting or in some other suitable manner, and the braces I are bolted or otherwise secured to this cross-bar, uniting the bars D and E to the respective posts J in such manner as to form a pivotal connection for the bars, by which they are free to swing sidewise, as shown in Fig. 6. their respective posts J, and the levers L secured to their upper ends, so as to bear on the upper face of the cross -bar F. Ihe beam-head M and beams, with the foot-treadle' N N secured thereto,are pivoted to the lower end of each standard, the tooth or projection k, when the parts are together, coming beneath the under side of the beam-plate, and forming a stop against the downward droprIhe tongue and seat and the wheels are attached, when the machine is ready for use.

In operation the machine is drawn forward by the team, in the usual manner of straddlerow cultivators, with the beams on each side of the row of plants, and when the row is straight the bars D E on each side are kept in line, causing a straight line of travel for the beams; but when the row is crooked or some of the plants are out of line, so as to require dodging, the operator, by means of` his foot, can

throw the beams to either side' by turning the bars D E in the direction required, such turning being permitted by the pivotal connection of the free ends of the bars D E and their braces Gr II and the standards or posts J, and this sidewise swinging of the bars D and Eis provided for by the slots d in the rear ends of The shanks K are passed up throughV IOO IIO

'the bars E, which furnish the proper amount Y l ning depth.

\ out of use,

of lost motion for this purpose. The depth of cultivation is regulated in the form of construction shown by the levers L L', by means of which the forward end of each beam can be raised or lowered, as required, for the depth of cultivation, the levers when down permitting a deep cultivation, and when up a shallow cultivation.

A rack-and-pinion or a rack-and-cog segment or some other device could be used in place of the cam-levers L L to adjust the run- When it is desired to throw the shovels up the operator, with his feet, presses forward and down on the treadles N N', thereby throwing` the rear ends of the beams up, raising the shovels out of the ground.

The frame, being formed of a circular rim, is very simple in construction, and at the saine time is strong, durable, and cheap, and it leaves a sufficient space for the location and operation of the other parts, and does-away with the various forms of bracing heretofore required `in the usualconstruction of cultivator-frames, whichbracing adds to the cost of the machine, and in some cases interferes with a free operation of the other parts. The parts D and E, having a free pivotal connec! tion at their inner ends, allow of a free side movement, and at the same time these bars, with their braces, furnish a strong support for the plowbeams, and being pivoted to the same standard or post which carries the pivotal connection for the plow-beam, the center of motion and of vertical play are located'at f the same point, so that no bindingof the parts and' interference with the operation of side movement and vertical adjustment can take place. The bars D E, cross-bar F, braces G H l, posts J, and sliding shanks K furnish a frame-work and support for the beams possess ing the required rigidity and rmness to resist the draft in use, and at the same time allow of a perfect freedom of movement, by which thedodging of the plants and the depth of plowing can be regulated without the adjustingofmone interfering with the other.

'bothmovements at a common The pivoted swinging bars, bracing, pivot standards or posts, and sliding Shanks carrying the plow-beams can be used with other forms of frames than the circular one shown.

Vhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The bars `D-E, pivotally connected at their inner ends to permit of side movement,

for changing the travel of the plow-beams, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. The bars D and bars E, having slots d in their rear ends, in combination.Y with apost or standard carrying the plow-beams and forming apivot for the inner end of the bars DE, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. The bars D and E, in combination with4 the braces G and H, cross-bar F, and posts or standards J, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

4. The bars D andE, in combination with ythe cross-bar F, posts or standards J, and

braces G, H, and I, for forming a frame-work and support which permits of free side movenient, substantially as and for the purpose specified.-

5. The bars D and E,

cross-bar F, postsJ,

and suitable bracing, in combination with the sliding Shanks K and the plow-beams, for adjusting the running depth of the plows and allowing of side movement, substantially ask and for the purpose speciiied.

6. The posts J, forming a pivot for side movement, in combination with sliding shanks K, for attaching the plow-beams and locating tially` as specified.

7. The bars D and E, cross-bar F, post J, and `suitable bracing, in combination with the sliding shanks K, plow-beams, and foottreadle, substantially as and for the purposes' specified.

ALBERT H. ADAMs, O. W. BOND.

point, substan- 

